Published on Jan, 2022
Our family of 6 (ages 70+ to 10 years old) had a great day trip. Jose Manuel Palafox was an excellent tour guide. We learned about native animals, plants, history, Mayan culture, Mayan paintings, environmental impacts, and more. He shared images from museums, books, and personal photos to explain and storytell about what we were visiting. The cenote was absolutely stunning, a moving experience and was my favorite part of the excursion. Ek Balam allowed you to climb many of the structures and see the amazing jungle view. Only about 1% of the ruins is remaining, but still worth seeing. Lunch buffet had many options and local flare. The quick stop at the city center on the way back was a fun way to eat a snack at street vendors and see shops. Be prepared to walk up and down many stairs and go on some easy hikes to view all that there is to see.
Would recommend taking a tour with Jose Manuel in the future! You could tell that he has a true passion for sharing the history and culture of the area, his heart truly sung as we all learned so much from him. His gentle and friendly mannerisms and ability to keep us on time without feeling rushed were welcome.
Truly worth your time to take the private tour.
